jcrow, Instead of blaming Walmart blame the ones that run the city for letting them come in. We had the same problem in a local town here with McDonald's.

I haven't been to a LQS or any other fabric store in ages! I have a dear friend that lets me order online and he picks up the bill for me. He lives in New York and has envited me up this October, he took me to the fashion District a couple of years ago, prices aren't as bad as one would think. You can bet I'll be going back on this trip too!

I don't "stock up" or stash fabrics really so I buy for projects and look for what I need for them. I have no qualms about paying full price for something if it is really worth it to me. I also won't buy cheap fabrics just because the prices are cheap. To me that is false economy. However, when I find really quality fabric on sale, that's a huge bonus!

I'd say my average cost of fabric has been around $15 a yard, but bear in mind I make a lot of clothes too- baby things, dresses, swimsuits for my girls, etc. and those fabrics tend to be pricier than quilting cottons. Not always, but usually.

Wow, we all come from different angles, don't we? I buy according to price and feel/look of fabric. If it is more pricey, I buy less, if it is under $6/yard, I buy more. If it is a fat quarter above $2 I have to really like it. I pass up a lot of fabric. I don't have any problems going into Walmart or JoAnn's... but I am selective. So many people do not have the money to even buy what I buy on sale... There's so much gorgeous, yummy fabric out there being produced every day and I just don't have the buckos to buy it all. But, if I did..... :) A girl can dream, can't she?

LOL, if this keeps up, we may all be back to using old clothes for making quilts! :D

That's funny! I may have to dig into my bins of fabrics leftover from when I made clothes! Otherwise, I try to buy fabric on sale - both online and in the stores in my area. I'm guessing that my average is around $8 to $9 a yard. I do have trouble paying over $2.50 for fat quarters. I've taken to buying yardage instead. It is a bit daunting to see fabric over $12/yard.

The fabric around here is over $11 yard now. I don't buy any fabric now uless I have too and even then I only buy what is on sale
I also consider going back to an old hobby of mine instead of quilting if the prices keep going up.
Carol in Delaware
I don't have UFO's I have PhD's. (Projects half Done). and I'll be so smart when I finish working on my PhD's.

I think you all should check out WalMart's fabric dept. if you haven't lately, & if yours has fabrics now. I am very impressed with their selection & quality here in OKC. Around $5 a yd. And even batiks for $8 or $9. It's so much better than it used to be. I guess all the complaints they got from sew-ers & quilters woke up the powers that be. They are even working on being more organized than they were. I've bought several pieces from them & am quite happy.

I both quilt and sew, so I have lots of fabrics. Recently, I was asked to sew long jumpers for three little girls. I got the fabric from Connecting Threads and it is sewing up beautifully. They barely need pressing right out of the dryer! My dil made her first quilt from fabric from CT and it's very nice--and wonderful for a first project. I also buy from local shops (expensive), Hobby Lobby, and Fat Quarter Shop. Average price is around $9 a yard.

WOW, how in the world does one get to buy fabric at a distributor warehouse?? Seriously, is there a trick or membership or something within reach for the common girl? I'll wear a pumpkin on my head for prices like that! Where do you live, where do you buy, would you like to adopt me?? hehe giggle

I am in Germany, where one meter of good fabric costs around 18 Euro. You are still lucky in the U.S. with your (fabric) prices. On the other hand, we pay less for groceries here. When I visit the States I am often just shocked at how much prices have increased. I hope that your incomes have increased as well!

I buy what I like wherever I find it. I went to a garage sale that had a stack of moda for $1.00 a yard. Bought $15.00 worth. I have bought from Connecting Threads, Favorite Fabrics and a couple of online stores that were going out of business. I bought some blenders from Walmart that I liked the color and feel that were on clearance for $2.00 a yd.
Yesterday, I took a few hours away from my beach vacation to go to the lqs Quilting by the Bay. I found some beautiful fabric and spent $138.00 on a fq bundle (12) 3 fqs, 6 yards of fabric.
I have not bought fabric from Joann's lately. I just haven't found anything I had to have. :)

$8 is my limit but I am lucky we have a selvage store here that has a wonderful fabric department which sells their fabric for 4.49/yd.

All I can say is that I am very glad I built up a stock pile over the years when fabric was lower. I have plenty now to stitch up although I do have to purchase a bit to complete or compliment what I have. Fabric around here run from $9.50-$15.00. Yes it has increased dramatically. It's like the cost of gas! So I am really careful about shopping sales, do some online shopping with free shipping and clip coupons. I am retired so my income is fixed and I really miss just picking up a new beautiful fabric that catches my eye.

I buy most of my fabric online at places like Hancocks-Paducah, Glorious Color, Fabric.com. My average is around $7 per yard, but I buy on sale and I watch for specific designers like Kaffe Fassett. Fabric.com has some very reasonable pricing. I won't buy from my LQS because it's just too much money. It's not their fault. The fabric manufacturers have gone up in price and the LQS has to pay more for what they order.

Boy, you are getting some amazing market research here for free! Not many businesses can get this much info without major cost. I believe in my LQS and have three of them within 10 miles of me, one only a mile away. They are all so good about helping me, and are there when I need them. There is another a little farther away, and a discount store where the owner buys out shops that close down and other overstocks, so his prices are pretty good. Now and then we take a road trip of an hour or two to a fun shop, including Keepsake. Prices here are $10-12 in shops, but most have discount fabs too. Occasionally I use JoAnn or WalMart for batting or notions, rarely buy fabric there. I do know good fabric when I see/feel it, so I'm pretty picky about that, even though my funds are way low now that I've retired. Rarely buy online for the same reasons others have said. Don't know quality, hate shipping costs, and won't overbuy for "free shipping." I followed your link and see that you have some nice fabrics. But you aren't there to help me pick out the best fabric for my backing when I have a finished top to bring in. Local shop owners are not getting rich on their businesses, they are just passionate about quilting. They pay local taxes which are good for our local economy. I'm sure you are good folks, too, and I wish you well in your business too. I feel bad for people who don't have a shop near them to choose from. Sorry to be so wordy here!!

You're not too wordy, LynnVT. Lots of good comments have been posted by you and the others who have chimed in.

I like posting open-ended questions here, because generally a lot of varied ideas get posted and that's a good thing.

The reason I asked the question now is that we're over a year out from the major price increases that took the wholesale prices of cotton fabrics up by $1 over a single year. We knew that was due to a shortage of cotton on the market at the time. And we also now know that the prices never went back down, and I'm seeing that the wholesale prices are starting to creep up again. And it's discouraging!

Nobody likes paying shipping fees, but when I think that a half-hour trip across town burns a gallon of gas each way (which costs about $7 in my area), that is approximately the shipping cost for a lot of purchases. And some things you either can't find locally, or it's not worth the time you would spend trying to track them down. Like 29x32 dress pants for my still-skinny son.

I guess it's because I am "of a certain age" that I have to keep reminding myself how much it costs to get where I want to go. When gas was 30 cents / gallon the cost was small. Oh, SHOOT, now it's over ten times that much, WHY did I have to do this calculation? Groan. Guess I really have gotten old!

No, an online shop can't help you match fabrics to the quilt top that you've just completed. But the smaller online stores do have staff that's actually seen and handled the fabrics, as opposed to the fabrics being in a warehouse separate from where the customer service phone staff is. We often get calls or e-mails from people who ask us about several fabrics, and whether they go well together. If they don't, we'll suggest some alternative choices. That seems to work out pretty well, and it's nice to get an e-mail from the customer who is pleased when they open their package and see the fabrics that we've helped them choose.

I really wish we could see the finished products, though! That's one thing that we miss out on.

I pay $18.99/metre (Canadian $). I don't have to even try to figure out the average as we have one source here in the Yukon and it's $18.99/metre.

We haven't had an increase and I've been quilting 4 years now.

Quite honestly, I've ordered from the US as I was amazed at the prices...throw in exchange rates, custom duties, shipping....it pretty much was close to the $18/metre by the time I got it and I wasn't thrilled with my purchases. At our local shop I'm able to touch and feel the fabric, see the true colour, see how it relates to my stash, etc. So I buy local.

Back when gas was $0.30 a gallon, a decent house could be built for $15,000 or less, a first class stamp was $0.03 and wages were about $1.00 an hour.

Same here - The average price of a metre (39”) of 44/45” wide cotton fabric from a quilt shop is around £11/12, which is currently $17/19 – batiks are more expensive at about $22! The Amy Butler I’ve got my eye on for my daughter is $27! No surprise I use eBay US quite a lot to buy fabric, as there is wider choice and MUCH less expensive, even if I have to pay Customs.

Here in Aussie the average for good quality fabric is $23 - $29 unless you are lucky enough to get it on sale then usually half price.

Where in Sanford?? I live in Lakeland and will be going up to Winter Springs next week to visit at my son's!! I would love a side trip!

I paid $9.00 a yard yesterday for a nice Christmas blender and a pink and white on black print and I paid $10.50 a yard for a poinsettia on black print last Saturday.

I try to keep it under $8.00 a yard. Luckily, my stash is extensive. My BFF and I shopped at a favorite LQS just about every 2 months that was always having a sale. She said we were buying for our retirement. Here I am retired, and glad I have what I have because the closest LQS is now selling at $13.00 an hour. I won't pay those prices, with the exception if I was looking for a special small amount of fabric I needed for a special gift. Just this year I've become best friends with Connecting Threads. I saw their earlier fabric from years past and the current selection has hugely improved in quality, color, design and selection. Have also enjoyed buying charm packs. Love putting together a lap quilt with them. It satisfies my need for a large selection of new prints without breaking the bank or rupturing my overburdened stash boxes.

The prices are going;;; alot of LQS will go out of business. I really do not believe that fabric actually cost that much; I think its called greed. I won't pay more than $6.00 per yard.

I have bought very little fabric this year because I was on a buying binge last spring getting oriental fabrics. :) For the little quilt shop fabric I bought this year, I'd say average was $8-$9 a yard. I don't buy batiqs.

The prices aren't bothering me since I'm focused on finishing projects already started or using fabric I already have. If I need to buy fabric, it is just a purchase for background or finishing.

I have been really lucky on EBay. Got some beautiful Kansas Troubles Fat Quarters for 1.00 each! The shipping was only 5.95 as she put all 24 in a Flat rate envelope. I stop in Lancaster when I go by, but their stuff is getting high now too. Connecting Threads and Hobby Lobby are two of my favorites.

Fabric is 28 euro a metre here in Germany. I went to Karstadt in Wiesbaden yesterday and brought some for 4 euro-deep discount. I usually pay about 6-8 dollars a yard. I ordered from Favorite Fabrics last month and will probably continue to do so because the prices are pretty fair.

It's not called greed, it's called "trying to survive." Wholesale prices for high-quality LQS fabric (not the stuff you get at Wal-mart and Joanne's) are at or above your so-called limit of $6/yd when you factor in the cost of getting it into the shop. (We have to pay shipping too).

To sell at your theoretical maximum of $6/yd, most shops would be losing several dollars/yd when factoring in selling expenses.

If you're buying LQS-quality fabric at $6/yd, the shop is losing money on that sale, and is just trying to re-capture some cash to survive the month.

It's not greed.

I would hate to try to run a business now -

Along with the cost of inventory - and how much of that does a shop NOT sell? - and as customers, we think a well-stocked shop is much better than one without much to choose from -

There are all the associated costs -

Along with the amount on a paycheck that an employee sees, there are other employer expenses that many employees have no idea about!

Along with trying to satisfy all of the governing agencies demands - and trying outguess what the tax rules will be in the near future!

You can't ever know the full story of anything without hearing...and actually listening to...both sides. QKO, Favorite Fabrics and the other shop owners that are members here try very hard to give us a view into their side of the fabric world. I, for one, greatly appreciate the time they spend educating us about the bigger picture. Thanks, Don!

Thank you, QKO, for once again posting a reality check.

There are stores that carry only closeout fabrics, which they *can* bring in at less than $6 / yard; you can't get anything that's nice quality, by the best names in the business, for less than about $4 / yard EVEN in closeout status. And by the time fabric lines reach closeout status, the best of the prints are already gone. Which means that what is left is very hit-or-miss.

And isn't it nicer to walk into a shop and find a whole bunch of fabrics that go together? Especially for newer quilters, who still have a hard time selecting coordinating fabrics, and who may not have a big stash to draw upon. A shop can't offer this kind of selection by buying only closeouts.

With regards to Walmart fabrics - we all buy what we can afford. I make a lot of charity quilts, and much of the fabric comes from Walmart. If it wasn't for Walmart, I probably wouldn't make charity quilts.

I also shop online and in the local quilt shops. I have found some of the same fabrics in the lqs as in Walmart, but for more money.

In the end, where you shop is and what you pay for fabric is a matter of preference and pocketbook.

I just put in an order for almost $600.00 worth of blender fabrics at Connecting Threads. I have always liked their fabric and the fact that they are a USA company makes me happy to support them. They are having a sale on their mirage and solid fabrics right now at $2.96 a yard. Definitely stocking up time for me. I won't need to buy more for a long time. I do buy from my LQS at least once a month, but not a whole lot. I too have a hard time swallowing $11 or more a yard when I know I can go on-line and get the same fabric for less. I will usually buy a little at the LQS and then go on-line and find it for less. That way, I already know the color and the feel.

I don't understand what you mean by the "they are a USA company" comment. None of their "manufacturing partners" are located in the US, making them no different than anyone else in the business.

Thanks for clarifying that, ghostrider.

Connecting Threads fabric is manufactured in Mexico.

Every quilting fabric design house and distributor in the USA is a USA company, and every one of them has their fabrics manufactured off-shore. There are a few manufacturers left that make fabrics in the USA, but none that I'm aware of make quilting fabric. I've never tried quilting with Kevlar fabric. :D

Ditto. Well said. I buy fabrics everytime I am out at the LQS, and quilt shows.
I buy what I like when I see it. Mostly batiks, yes.
I live in the country so our local lqs's get good business so we don't have to drive an hour.
Prices are around 8-10 a yard depending then the sales racks when they bring in a new line is 6.00/yd...was 5.00yd

Thank you to the store owners here who give us food for thought on life on their side of the cutting table....
We just don't know it all.
And for those who can only afford certain fabrics, thats ok. I will never be a fabric snob.....I love sales.

There are other factors that may contribute to an additional rise in fabric prices in the near future.

The US Postal Service defaulted on a $5.5B loan repayment to the Federal Government on August 1st, and says they don’t expect to have the money for a second $5.6B payment due in September. Shipping rates for everyone may go up, especially on-line shoppers.

Due to a recent antitrust settlement on July 13th against Visa and Mastercard, Merchants will now be allowed to apply a surcharge at checkout if you pay with a credit card, in all but 10 states that have laws prohibiting merchant surcharges. (Oklahoma is one of those 10 states.) The settlement must still be approved by the U.S. District Court, which may not happen until late 2012 or early 2013, but if approved, both on-line and B&M stores in states allowing surcharges may begin charging an additional fee for the use of credit cards for payment of fabric.

Now may be the time to stock up on fabric.....

CD in Oklahoma

Hi

Here in Australia we pay $22 plus for our meter ( 3' inches mor than a yard) this is why I sent to US for my material.